Illinois Boy Builds World's Tallest Popsicle Stick Tower, Enters Guinness World Records

A 12-year-old boy from the US state of Illinois has broken into the book of Guinness World Record by assembling a 20.20-ft tower of popsicle sticks - the world's tallest ice lolly structure that can be seen from a distance. Eric Klabel, a resident of Naperville suburb of Chicago, built the structure after watching a Guinness World Records video highlighting other record holders and decided that he wanted to pursue a record of his own. According to the Guinness World Records, Eric faced the most difficulty in ensuring that the tower was built properly so that it could support itself.

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Eric spent hours determining the shape and decided to go for a pyramid-like structure to provide a strong support framework to the tower. Though it was fun to see the structure getting taller, Eric said, he had to build a three-foot-long vertical structure many times which was "very repetitive" but when he had finished, he could not stop admiring his hard work. It was very rewarding and fulfilling, he said.

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Eric used 1,750 popsicle sticks, nearly two pounds of glue, and some determination to achieve this feat. It took him a month to build the tall structure and he documented and recorded the work as part of the requirements by the Guinness World Records, the Chicago Tribune reported.

From a young age, Eric was fascinated by his father's creations and had decided to make some of his work count. Earlier, he would form shapes with wooden ice cream sticks. By 2015, he had started experimenting with recycled materials like popsicle sticks and once made a functioning chair with popsicles and another time he created a replica of a house with wooden sticks and ensured it had the required furniture, lighting and other household items. And now, even before he has become a teenager, he has achieved a world record title.

He said he feels "accomplished and grateful". "My favourite thing about achieving the record was that I was able to be known for something I am passionate about."